Patients with respiratory ailments may be administered supplemental breathing gases, such as oxygen, for example, to aid in respiration. These breathing gases may be provided from a breathing gas supply, such as an oxygen tank. A delivery device, such as a nasal cannula, may be coupled to the breathing gas supply and inserted into a patient's nasal passages for delivery of the breathing gas to the patient for inhalation.
Separately, respiratory medications may be administered through inhalation directly to the patient's lungs. These respiratory medications may be aerosolized by a nebulizer in order to generate small particles of the medication, which facilitate distribution throughout the patient's lungs during inhalation.
Nebulizers produce a fine mist for inhalation by a patient. The mist may include a medicament for delivery to the respiratory tract of the patient. A conventional nebulizer uses pressurized air to form a gas jet that creates a venturi vacuum to draw liquid medicament from a liquid reservoir to form a nebulized aerosol for inhalation.